“It seems Mrs. Angela has changed her mind. She’s not coming to the cottage.” Angela saw in Dot’s eyes, despite the anger and the crude behavior, a bruised heart. She was supposed to be her friend after all, and she had promised. God, she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so terrible.
“Angela is a grown woman, Mum. She must have a reason,” he told Dot, looking at Angela, knowing very well the reason. The intensity of his gaze made her hot; she just wanted to get out of there.
“She didn’t give me a reason.”
Michael looked down, knowing he had played a part in this too. “I’ll leave you to your reading,” he said as he started to take a step back, but stopped.
“I’m not in the mood, anymore. You can go,” Dot told Angela, acting like a six year old petulant girl. Even for Dot, this was insane; had she gone off the deep end?
“C’mon Dot, we were right into it. You love this book.”
“Go.” She pointed towards the door, not making any eye contact.
“You better go,” Michael told her. “Actually, I think we need to talk,” he said as motioned her out.
Dot turned to look behind her, her lips slowing curving into a mischievous smile.
“Maybe I should go. I feel so bad,” Angela told Michael as they made their way to his office.
“Is this because of the kiss? If it is, don’t make it into something bigger than it was. It was just a kiss,” he said, not quite looking at her, as he walked into his office.
Just a kiss.
Maybe she had overestimated the importance of it. To her, it was everything but to him, maybe it wasjust a kiss, a spur of the moment thing.
“I wanted to talk to you about this,” he said, grabbing a large flat package wrapped in brown paper. He too, wanted to get something off his chest. “Why did you bring it back to me? It was a gift.”
“Because, like I said… it’s inappropriate, Michael.”
He rolled his eyes; she drove him crazy. “Can’t you just stick it in your basement? I just want you to have it,” he insisted, walking towards her.
“I wish I could keep it, but I can’t,” she said, not quite able to look at him.
“It was just a gift. I’m encouraging the local art scene. I buy people gifts all the time. Maybe, you’re just thinking a little too much about my feelings for you. You’re a friend.”
The words stabbed her.
“So I’m just a friend? You’re not attracted to me?”
“Well... I am,” he admitted, exasperated. That much was obvious. “But that’s just it. I’m infatuated with you. That’s all. I have no interest what so ever in a relationship. I never plan to go near you again,” he told her as he sat down and fiddled for something in his desk.
It was settled then. She felt, at once, both relieved and deeply saddened. “Well, in that case, since neither of us are interested in a relationship… maybe it’s not a big deal if I go to the cottage. We’ll just avoid each other as much as we can.”
“Exactly”, he said, picking up the phone, a subtle sign instructing her to get out.
And she did.
Michael sat at his desk, wondering why at forty-two years of age, he was acting like a teenager. He had lied. He has just said the words to make life easier, and to protect his ego, maybe. He also didn’t want to get in the way of his mother’s and Angela’s relationship; Angela had been the first friend Dot had had in quite a while.
Angela considered what Michael had said; it had all been in her imagination. She felt nauseous at the thought. His words had stung more than she could have imagined.
But after a few days of harping over the conversation in her mind, she had come to terms with the reality of the situation. It was actually a blessing; it certainly made her life easier. She would go to the cottage and Dot would be delighted.
There was no reason not to go. She admitted to herself that despite her attraction to him, there was no concern since he obviously wasn’t serious about her. But just to be extra cautious, she would nonetheless keep her distance. She called Ellie and told her she would be coming. Ellie e-mailed her directions, a packing list and instructions to call the cottage line when she got close to the marina.
Nine
On Friday morning,Angela woke up dreading the days ahead. Why had she agreed to this? This was probably going to be an ill-advised trip. She thought she’s get a heads up on her packing. She felt a little uneasy as she packed her bag. It was only for two nights; she didn’t need to pack too much. Ellie had given her a list of what she had to pack: long pants and long thick socks, sweaters for the cool nights, a thick pajama, comfortable summer pants, t-shirts, a sweater, a bathing suit, toiletries, and a hat. Everything else would be taken care of: flashlights, sunscreen, life jackets, bug repellent.
